A senior member of the High Peace Council (HPC) on Wednesday questioned the structure of the high advisory board for peace by the Afghan government, saying women’s presence in the board has been “unfair and unjust”. 

Addressing a national conference on women’s role in peace, the deputy head of the HPC, Habiba Sarabi, said government has not considered a fair role for the women and youth in the high advisory board for peace. 

“I have objection about this board because women do not have equal representation while they constitute half of the population in the society,” Sarabi said. “It should not be only during the voting. We want participation and we want a board where women have real presence.” 

However, Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah, said at the event that the high advisory board for peace will take into consideration all aspirations and demands of the Afghan people. 

“We want to assure that the Afghan peace delegation will represent the entire people of Afghanistan in the peace negotiations,” said Abdullah. 

He said that the Afghan peace delegation is ready to talk to the Taliban if the group has the same intention. 

“The Afghan government has appointed the peace delegation and it is ready for talks and the question that when and where this opportunity is created, this is a separate issue,” Abdullah added.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Afghanistan John Bass said peace in Afghanistan still remains Washington’s topmost priority.  

“We are committed to supporting you, your efforts, and those of your government to achieve a real and lasting settlement to this terrible conflict and to bring an end to the pain and suffering of so many people in the society and to create a better future for all citizens of this country to enable them to live in peace and dignity,” said Bass.  

This comes a day after the Afghan government announced the establishment of the high advisory board for peace aimed at creating a national consensus for brokering purposeful peace talks with the Taliban. 

In a decree issued by President Ashraf Ghani, it was stated that the creation of the high advisory board for peace and the peace negotiating team is aimed to create consensus at a national level for promoting lasting peace through consultations and discussions with Afghanistan’s former Jihadi leaders as well as political and social elites, including representatives from various parts of society.